Shloka 19
अवंतीस्थ-ब्राह्मणकथा तथा तृतीय-ज्योतिर्लिङ्गोपाख्यान-प्रस्तावना
Avanti Brahmin Narrative and Prelude to the Third Jyotirliṅga
बहुसैन्यसमायुक्तो दूषणस्स महासुरः । तत्रस्थान्ब्रह्मणान्सर्वानुद्दिश्य समुपाययौ
bahusainyasamāyukto dūṣaṇassa mahāsuraḥ | tatrasthānbrahmaṇānsarvānuddiśya samupāyayau
വലിയ സൈന്യത്തോടുകൂടിയ മഹാസുരൻ ദൂഷണൻ അവിടെ മുന്നേറി; ആ സ്ഥലത്ത് പാർത്തിരുന്ന എല്ലാ ബ്രാഹ്മണരെയും ലക്ഷ്യമാക്കി അടുത്തുവന്നു।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Mahākāla
Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara
Sthala Purana: The antagonist is named: Dūṣaṇa marches with an army toward the brāhmaṇas of Avantī, catalyzing the crisis that will culminate in Mahākāla’s protective manifestation and the kṣetra’s celebrated glory.
Significance: Reinforces Mahākāla as kṣetrapāla-like protector: devotees seek safety and dharma-restoration at Ujjain when threatened by ‘dūṣaṇa’ (pollution/corruption).
FAQs
It highlights adharma’s tendency to target the bearers of dharma (the Brāhmaṇas) and sets the stage for Shiva’s protective grace—showing that devotion and righteousness are ultimately safeguarded by Pati (Shiva) against pasha-like forces of violence and ignorance.
Though the verse is narrative, it implicitly points to Saguna Shiva as the active protector within history: when devotees and sacred communities are threatened, refuge in Shiva—often centered on Linga-worship and pilgrimage traditions emphasized in the Koṭirudrasaṃhitā—becomes the living response.
A practical takeaway is seeking protective refuge through japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and maintaining Shaiva disciplines such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of steadfastness amid fear and hostility.